Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Nuggets

SCMom in Ohio posted a comment a while back to Triple-Digit Dinner. She said her family loves catfish, and she fries it in a cornmeal breading. Now, she has sent me her recipe, and I am sharing it with you!
Thank you, Barbara!


CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH NUGGETS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

STIR together ¾ cup cornmeal mix, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow dish. Dredge 2 pounds catfish nuggets in cornmeal mixture; coat lightly with vegetable cooking spray. Cook catfish nuggets, in batches, in a hot nonstick skillet over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until golden, gently turning to brown each side.

Barbara added that the nuggets can be cut into smaller, bite-size pieces.

Cris asked about a cornmeal mix substitute, so I found this recipe at YumYum.com.

21 comments:

Nicole said...

Yummm I LOVE catfish! This sounds really good!

Cris said...

Hi Janet! I think I can't get this cornmeal mix here, do you have a substitute? I sometimes add cornstarch to the cornmeal. Love this recipe. Thanks!

JANET said...

Hi Nicole and Cris.
This recipe does sound good, doesn't it?
Cris, I am not sure about a substitute for the mix, but I would probably just use yellow, self-rising cornmeal. The mix has a little sugar in it, so you might try adding some sugar if you like a sweeter taste. I haven't tried adding cornstarch either. Will have to do that!

JANET said...

Cris,
Okay, I found a cornmeal mix recipe on the Internet. This one does have sugar in it.

Cornmeal Mix Ingredients:

4 c Unbleached All-purpose Flour
3/4 c Sugar
1 c Vegetable Shortening
1 tb Salt
1/4 c Baking Powder
4 1/2 c Cornmeal
Cornmeal Mix Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.
Stir to blend well.
With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed.
Add cornmeal and mix well.
Put in a large airtight container.
Label as CORNMEAL MIX an store in a cool, dry, place.
Use within 12 weeks.
Makes about 10 1/2 cups of CORNMEAL MIX.

Cris said...

That was a quick response, I appreciate your help! I always wondered why the catfish in the US were so tasty. :-)

JANET said...

Hi Cris, I just happened to be on the computer and looked up cornmeal mix. We can get boxed mix here, so I had never thought about a recipe for it. Glad you asked!
Thanks for noting how tasty our catfish in the U.S. are! Well, our mixes are just part of the reason...the farmers here in Catfish Country produce pond-raised catfish in a clean, controlled environment...hence, a quality product!

oak wind farm said...

Hey there Janet! Nice to "meet" another Alabamian! Thank you for you sweet comments on my blog. I have been reading through your's and it is aweosme. I plan to come back again and again.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Carolyn @ Oak Wind Farm

Julie said...

Janet, my mother is a huge fan of catfish nuggets not only are they delicious but also very inexpensive.

JANET said...

Hi Carolyn and Julie, Thanks for visiting!
Carolyn, I have noticed there are a lot of bloggers around Birmingham... Hardly any here, but maybe that will change.

Julie, glad you mom likes the nuggets. They are so quick to cook!

Anonymous said...

Yummm, that looks like a very tasty recipe!

Manuela

Deborah Dowd said...

This sounds like a great dish for some frozen catfish I have in my freezer!Now all I need is some grits I some sweet tea and I have it made!

2 LMZ FARMS said...

Wanted to check in on you and see how you were doing. Hope you and yours have a blessed weekend.
Laura

JANET said...

Hello to The Feathered Nest, Deborah and 2 LMZ Farms. Hope y'all are having a good weekend! It was cool here this morning, so I got out and walked before 7 a.m. Got that exercise in before all these college football games that I like to watch!
Deborah, I eat grits practically every day, but I have never had them with catfish! Hmmm...there is probably a baked grits recipe somewhere. Thanks for the suggestion!

Anonymous said...

Not much in the way of catfish in this region. I tried some at the fair this year; a trailer sold catfish and alligator. The gator was too chewy for my taste and the cat fish too fishy... I suspect fresh is better.

JANET said...

Hi Tracey, thanks for visiting. I have never tried alligator, and I am not sure that I want to! You are braver than I am.
Sorry to hear that the catfish was fishy. I wonder if it was farm-raised catfish from the U.S., because it should not have a fishy flavor, even when if it was frozen. The fish grown here undergo strict tests for off-flavor and is rejected if the flavor isn't right. Sometimes, river catfish, which are bottom feeders, have a fishy or sometimes muddy taste. Some catfish that is imported to the U.S. from other countries taste different too, because they are not raised with the same environmental standards as that grown in Catfish Country.
Hope you have better tasting catfish next time!

Nunnie's Attic said...

I do love catfish! I like mine blackened. Which probably offends some people. So sorry if you're one of them.

I use a recipe very similar to that for a lot of recipes. I tend to mix self-rising flour and cornmeal together. I use it on okra, shrimp and now catfish. My father-in-law keeps promising me some. I'll let you know when I try it out!

Thanks for visiting my blog and for the sweet comments. Will be stopping back soon!

Love,
Julie

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Janet, I'm from Tuscaloosa and have family in Linden, I've passed through Greensboro so many times. My mother loves to fry catfish and hushpuppies; boy are they ever good!
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.

JANET said...

Hi Julie, I've never had blackened catfish, but it wouldn't offend me! How do you fix it?
Come back to visit anytime!

JANET said...

Hi Robin! I have family in Tuscaloosa, and my mother and I made many a shopping trip there. It's a great little city. Also have family near Linden...it's a small world!
Thanks for visiting and letting me know where you're from. I appreciate your comment.

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

That looks like an easy crust for catfish. I need to give it a try...but of course I usually use the Whistlestop batter (it's just to simple for me)

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhh...I bet this is fantastic! Yummy recipe. My kids would even eat it!